System and method for dynamically selecting wireless information communication modes for a wireless communication device

• US 20070133484A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jayapalan, Jay, Albal, Nandakishore, Armbruster, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A system, method, and wireless device for dynamically selecting a wireless information communication mode for wireless communication of information to at least one wireless device (104). The method includes receiving at least one request for wireless communication of information to at least one wireless device (104). The method further comprises selecting, based at least in part on a total number of wireless devices to receive the wireless communication of information, a mode of wireless communication of information to the at least one wireless device (104). The mode of wireless communication being selected from at least one of a wireless information broadcast communication mode, a wireless information multicast communication mode, and a wireless information unicast communication mode. The at least one wireless device (104) is wireless notified to set its current wireless communication mode to the selected mode of wireless communication to receive the wireless communication of the information.

Claims

1. A method for selecting at least one of a wireless information broadcast communication mode, a wireless information multicast communication mode, and a wireless information unicast communication mode, for wireless communication of information to at least one wireless communication device, the method comprising:

receiving at least one request for wireless communication of information to at least one wireless communication device;

selecting, based at least in part on a total number of wireless communication devices to receive the wireless communication of information, a mode of wireless communication of information to the at least one wireless communication device, the mode of wireless communication being selected from at least one of;

a wireless information broadcast communication mode,

a wireless information multicast communication mode, and

a wireless information unicast communication mode; and

wirelessly notifying the at least one wireless communication device to set its current wireless communication mode to the selected mode of wireless communication to receive the wireless communication of the information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly notifying at least one wireless network controller to set its current wireless communication mode to the selected mode of wireless communication for wirelessly communicating the information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a first total number of wireless communication devices, including the at least one wireless communication device, when assigned to receive the wireless communication of the information exceeds a first predefined threshold; and

if the first total number of wireless communication devices is determined to exceed the first predefined threshold, assigning the at least one wireless communication device to receive the wireless communication of the information using at least one of the wireless information broadcast communication mode and the wireless information multicast communication mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a second total number of wireless communication devices, including the at least one wireless communication device, when assigned to receive the wireless communication of the information is less than a second predefined threshold; and

if the second total number of wireless devices is determined to be less than the second predefined threshold, assigning the at least one wireless communication device to receive the wireless communication of the information using the wireless information unicast communication mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second predefined threshold is less than the first predefined threshold.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

if the second total number of wireless devices is determined to be less than the second predefined threshold, assigning all of the wireless devices totaling the second total number of wireless devices, including the at least one wireless device, to receive the wireless communication of the information using the wireless information unicast communication mode.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

notifying all of the wireless devices totaling the second total number of wireless devices, including the at least one wireless device, to receive the wireless communication of the information using the wireless information unicast communication mode.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

notifying all of the wireless devices totaling the first total number of wireless devices, including the at least one wireless device, to receive the wireless communication of the information using at least one of the wireless information broadcast communication mode and the wireless information multicast communication mode.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

if the first total number of wireless devices is determined to be more than the first predefined threshold, assigning all of the wireless devices totaling the first total number of wireless devices, including the at least one wireless device, to receive the wireless communication of the information using at least one of the wireless information broadcast communication mode and the wireless information multicast communication mode.

10. A wireless communication system for selecting at least one of a wireless information broadcast communication mode, a wireless information multicast communication mode, and a wireless information unicast communication mode, for wireless communication of information to at least one wireless communication device, comprising:

a receiver for receiving at least one request for wireless communication of information to at least one wireless communication device;

a wireless communication mode selector, communicatively coupled with the receiver, for dynamically selecting a mode of wireless communication of information to the at least one wireless communication device, the mode of wireless communication being selected from at least one of;

a wireless information broadcast communication mode,

a wireless information multicast communication mode, and

a wireless information unicast communication mode; and

a notifier, communicatively coupled with the wireless communication mode selector, for wirelessly notifying the at least one wireless communication device to set its current wireless communication mode to the selected mode of wireless communication to receive the wireless communication of the information.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 10, wherein the notifier notifies at least one wireless network controller to set its current wireless communication mode to the selected mode of wireless communication for wirelessly communicating the information.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication mode selector:

determines whether a first total number of wireless communication devices selected to receive the wireless communication of the information exceeds a first predefined threshold; and

if the first total number of wireless communication devices is determined to exceed the first predefined threshold, the wireless communication mode selector selects at least one of the wireless information broadcast communication mode and the wireless information multicast communication mode, for wireless communication of the information to the at least one wireless communication device.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein

if the first total number of wireless communication devices is determined to exceed the first predefined threshold, the wireless communication mode selector selects at least one of the wireless information broadcast communication mode and the wireless information multicast communication mode, for wireless communication of the information to the at least one wireless communication device.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein:

if the first total number of wireless communication devices is determined to exceed the first predefined threshold, the wireless communication mode selector selects a wireless information multicast communication mode for wireless communication of the information to all of the first total number of wireless communication devices.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication mode selector

determines whether a second total number of wireless communication devices selected to receive the wireless communication of the information is less than a second predefined threshold;

and

if the second total number of wireless communication devices is determined to be less than the second predefined threshold, the wireless communication mode selector selects a wireless information unicast communication mode for wireless communication of the information to the at least one wireless communication device.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 15, wherein:

if the second total number of wireless communication devices is determined to be less than the second predefined threshold, the wireless communication mode selector selects a wireless information unicast communication mode for wireless communication of the information to all of the second total number of wireless communication devices.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 15, wherein the second predefined threshold is less than the first predefined threshold.

18. A wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a controller, communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver; and

a wireless communication mode selector, communicatively coupled with the controller, for dynamically selecting a mode of wireless communication of information to the wireless communication device, the mode of wireless communication being selected from at least one of the following three modes;

a wireless information broadcast communication mode,

a wireless information multicast communication mode, and

a wireless information unicast communication mode; and

wherein

the wireless communication mode selector being responsive to reception of a wirelessly received notification of a selection of a mode of wireless communication for the wireless communication device to set its current wireless communication mode to the selected mode of wireless communication to receive the wireless communication of the information.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 18, wherein:

the wireless communication mode selector, in response to reception of a wirelessly received notification of a mode selection by a wireless information server, setting the current wireless communication mode of the wireless communication device to the mode of wireless communication selected by the wireless information server for the wireless communication device to receive the wireless communication of the information.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 18, wherein:

the wireless communication mode selector, in response to reception of a wirelessly received notification of a mode selection by a wireless information server, dynamically switching the current wireless communication mode of the wireless communication device from one of the three modes of wireless communication to the mode of wireless communication selected by the wireless information server for the wireless communication device to receive the wireless communication of the information.